Polessk (ex. Labiau Eichwalde) (ZD6S)

The closure was a direct result of the post-Soviet military drawdown. The specific aviation regiments stationed at Polessk, such as the 15th Separate Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment and the 291st Separate Helicopter Regiment for Electronic Warfare, were disbanded. This was driven by economic constraints and a shift in military strategy, which led to the consolidation of forces at fewer, more modern airbases in the Kaliningrad Oblast.

The airfield is abandoned and in a state of ruin. Satellite imagery and ground-level photographs show a decaying concrete runway, overgrown taxiways, and derelict or dismantled hangars and support buildings. The site is not used for any aviation purposes and has become a destination for urban explorers. The infrastructure is completely unusable without massive reconstruction.

The airfield has a dual-era history.

**WWII German Era (as Flugplatz Labiau-Eichwalde):** It served as a German Luftwaffe base during World War II, used for training and as a forward airfield for various fighter and bomber units on the Eastern Front, especially during the final months of the war in East Prussia (1944-1945).

**Cold War Soviet Era (as Polessk Air Base):** After its capture by the Red Army in January 1945, it became a key Soviet Air Force base. It was home to significant units, most notably the 15th Separate Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment (15 ORAP) flying Su-17M3R reconnaissance jets and the 291st Separate Helicopter Regiment for Electronic Warfare (291st OVP REB) with specialized Mi-8 helicopters. These units played a crucial role in tactical reconnaissance and electronic warfare operations targeting NATO forces in the Baltic Sea region throughout the Cold War.

There are no known official plans or prospects for reopening the Polessk airfield. The Russian military consolidates its air assets at other active and modernized bases within the Kaliningrad Oblast (e.g., Chkalovsk, Chernyakhovsk). The significant cost of restoration, coupled with the lack of strategic or civil demand for an airport at this location, makes its reactivation highly improbable in the foreseeable future.